In a controversial move that has sent shockwaves through the medical community, the United States has drastically cut the number of vaccines it recommends for children. The schedule has been reduced from 17 down to just 11, a decision spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that experts warn puts American children at serious risk.
What Vaccines Have Been Removed?
The new guidelines, which took effect on Monday, represent a seismic shift in American public health policy. Under the revised schedule, immunisations for Covid-19, influenza (flu), and rotavirus have been removed from the recommended list for all children.
Furthermore, vaccines for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), hepatitis A, and meningococcal disease will now only be advised for children considered at high risk, rather than for the broader population. The action was approved by Acting Director Jim O’Neill of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) without the agency’s usual outside expert review.
Medical Community Sounds the Alarm
The dramatic rollback has ignited fierce criticism and deep concern from leading health authorities across the country. Doctors and public health experts are united in warning that the changes will endanger children’s lives and could fuel outbreaks of diseases that were previously under control.
Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, criticised the lack of transparency, stating there should have been a public discussion on the risks and benefits before dropping the recommendations.
Sean O’Leary, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly challenged the rationale behind the decision. He noted that other developed nations face different disease risks and have fundamentally different healthcare systems, often government-funded, compared to the US private model. "Any decision about the US childhood vaccination schedule should be grounded in evidence, transparency and established scientific processes," O’Leary argued.
The Political Drivers Behind the Decision
The changes advance a long-term goal of Health Secretary RFK Jr., a prominent vaccine sceptic. Kennedy has previously campaigned to drop universal recommendations for Covid-19 and hepatitis B shots for children, citing debunked links to autism.
The move also aligns with a directive from President Donald Trump, who in December urged the nation to "align with other developed nations" by reducing the number of shots for children. The new policy frames vaccination decisions under a model of "shared clinical decision-making," suggesting parents should consult with healthcare providers individually.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt defended the action on social media, describing it as a move to empower parents and physicians to make individualised decisions and to restore confidence in the public health system.
However, vaccine experts have decried the changes as a dangerous step backwards. They warn that the potential consequences include preventable hospitalisations and deaths, undermining community immunity and putting the most vulnerable at risk.
